A Margate city commissioner who has spent his entire adult life immersed in the city's political scene surrendered to FBI agents on Wednesday to face three bribery charges, becoming the latest Broward official accused of public corruption.

David McLean, a three-term commissioner whose father was one of the city's first elected officials, is accused of abusing his position of power for about $14,000 in cash and benefits, according to federal prosecutors.

He allegedly took payoffs for helping the landlord of his bar get a $25,000 grant from the Margate Community Redevelopment Agency as well as an occupational license to open an auto repair shop.

McLean, 50, entered a Fort Lauderdale federal courtroom handcuffed and shackled Wednesday before he pleaded not guilty to the charges. If convicted, McLean faces up to 10 years in prison on each of the three counts.

His attorney said McLean will fight the criminal case.

"He has been a public servant who has worked for the good of the Margate community for three decades," said his attorney, C. Edward McGee Jr.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Lurana Snow granted McLean a $50,000 bond. He was out of federal custody by early Wednesday afternoon.

McLean's entire life has been entwined with Margate politics. When he was born, his father, James McLean, was on the city commission. David McLean has said some of his earliest childhood memories were of city meetings and debates. He even has the Margate city seal tattooed on his left arm.

When he was just 22 years old, McLean won a special election to fill one of the commission seats for four months. He lost the seat and then regularly ran for the city commission until he was elected again in 2004, where he has remained. He narrowly won re-election in 2012 by 107 votes.

The past year on the commission has been a tumultuous one for him. McLean was accused of misusing a city credit card by making almost $1,400 in personal purchases on it. He has said he didn't think he was violating any rules because he always paid the money back. The Florida Commission on Ethics found in January there was enough evidence to pursue a case against him that could result in sanctions and fines.

McLean's now-closed bar — Dave's Tiki Bar — made front-page news in November when patrons alleged he failed to pay out a promised $1,000 prize for a Halloween costume contest.

The March 28 federal indictment unsealed against McLean on Wednesday accuses him of promising to help his bar's landlord get an occupational license to open an auto repair shop in a strip mall along North State Road 7. The landlord needed a special exemption from the city commission.

After the landlord got the license, he gave McLean $1,000 in cash, as well as released the city commissioner from having to pay $8,000 of back rent, according to federal authorities.

Federal prosecutors allege McLean also suggested to his landlord that they could make money from the Margate Community Redevelopment Agency by putting in for a grant with inflated figures. As a member of the city commission, McLean is a board member of the redevelopment group.

According to the indictment, McLean put together a $25,000 grant request that would cover half of a $50,000 construction job at the strip mall. The strip mall, though, was only going to have $17,000 of work done with McLean and the landlord splitting the remaining grant money, according to federal authorities.

The landlord paid $5,000 to McLean, federal prosecutors said.

City Manager Jerry A. Blough released a written statement on Wednesday afternoon, emphasizing that the criminal charges "are a result of isolated incidents involving one elected official."

"No employees of the City and no other elected officials are involved," according to Blough's statement. "No city, state or federal funds were misappropriated."

Blough said the city would not comment further on the case until it is resolved.

Commissioner Frank Talerico, who currently is serving as mayor, said he had no inkling McLean was being scrutinized by federal authorities.

"I'm just shocked right now," he said. "It's not something that you expect to hear all the time."

Frank Messana, who lost to McLean in the November election, said there had been rumblings during the campaign that McLean was under investigation.

"It's a shame," Messana said. "David is a good kid. He's just gotten really in over his head in a lot of things in the last couple of years. I think being an elected official kind of got to his head."

When a public official is criminally charged, the governor typically suspends the politician within a day. Gov. Rick Scott's office could not be reached for comment Wednesday about the case, despite an email to his staff.

Under the city charter, the remaining four Margate commissioners can pick a replacement to serve out the rest of McLean's term. If commissioners can't agree on a replacement, a special election is held.

If a suspended commissioner is acquitted or has the charges dropped, the person returns to office.

Margate Commissioner Lesa "Le" Peerman said she wishes McLean had resigned when the issues about the city-issued credit card surfaced.

"Will we get through it? Yes," Peerman said. "Every other city gets through it, but we shouldn't have to. That's the thing. People shouldn't do weird things like that."